The present invention relates to a tire module for sensing tire condition variables with a spring element clamped on one end and a converting unit, in which kinetic energy is converted into electric energy, and a pneumatic tire equipped with such a tire module.
The invention is particularly well suited to determine tire condition variables and road pavement characteristics with an energy-self-supporting system.
DE 44 02 136 A1 discloses a system for determining the operating parameters of vehicle tires, in which a support member accommodates a sensor unit, an evaluating electronic unit, and a piezoelectric element supplying the other system components with energy. The piezoelectric element has a multi-layer design.
Further, DE 101 03 952 discloses a device for the energy supply to a sensor, which includes a passive piezoelectric transducer, which is deformable by a mechanic energy accumulator and supplies a corresponding voltage for operation of the sensor. The piezoelectric transducer is bendable due to the deformation work provided by the energy accumulator. The structure including a bar spring and a compression spring arranged at the free end of the bar spring is sophisticated.
Based on the above state of the art, an object of the invention is to provide an improved tire module rendering energy supply possible in a simple and reliable fashion, even at low rotational speeds of the tire.